1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transmission/reception system and receivers that display information and a game, the progress of which changes in accordance with the state of the reception of information by radio.
2. Description of the Related Art
(1) FM Teletext Broadcasting
The FM broadcasting radio waves on which display information such as letters and numerals have been multiplexed are received from an FM broadcasting station. The information such as letters and numerals are separated from the FM broadcasting radio waves, and are displayed on a display like a liquid crystal display:--; and
(2) Pager
Pagers are known as beepers. Not only a paging function and a message display function, but also the information service of displaying a weather forecast and ticket information, etc. have been brought into practice for pagers. Pagers between which "fixed phrases" can be exchanged have also been devised. When one pager receives a message representing the sender's happy feeling from another pager, it displays the illustration of a smiling face. When the pager receives a message representing the sender's sad feeling, it displays the illustration of a crying face.
(3) Pet Games
Pet games are executed by the software incorporated in personal computers or by downloaded software, and animals like a tropical fish, etc. are displayed.
(4) Confrontation Type Game Dedicated Machines
With one game machine or a plurality of game machines connected to each other, players execute a game and match game characters against each other on the screen by operating their respective pads.
(5) Personal Computer Online Game
Personal computers are connected to each other via a telephone line, and users play a match on the screens of their respective computers by operating keys or mice.
(6) Portable Game Machines
The game machines store programs for one-man playable games or pet games. Players proceed with games by operating keys, or raise electronic pets and grow them in a plurality of patterns in accordance with the lapse of time, while taking care of the pets by operating keys.
(7) Game Utilizing a PHS
Portable game functions are incorporated in PHS terminals, and users raise electronic pets on the display screens of their respective PHS terminals. Each user can transmit his/her grown pet from his/her PHS terminal to another PHS terminal, which can display the electronic pet as transmitted.
In the above-described related art, the FM teletext broadcasting is a technique for receiving the information transmitted from the FM broadcasting station and displaying the information on a display. The information as displayed can satisfy the users' desires for intelligence. However, the usability of the displayed information as a game is low, and accordingly such information cannot satisfy the users' desires for play. This problem also occurs in the case of "pagers". Pagers can satisfy the users' desires for information like a weather forecast, ticket information, etc. However, the users' desires for play are hardly satisfied with the display of fixed phrases and illustrations. In contrast, the "pet game", the "confrontation type game dedicated machines", the "personal computer online game", the "portable game machine" and the "game utilizing the PHS" can excite the uses' desires for play, because they aim at games. However, they cannot satisfy even the users' desires for information.
Let it be considered the capability of the "pet game" to excite the users' desires for play. Even whether the "pet game" is played with purchased software or with downloaded software, the state of growth changes within the range of the program of the currently used software. Under this condition, the excitement or effect which the "pet game" can induce over the users' desires for play has a limit, and the users cannot experience permanent excitement from the "pet game". Moreover, in the case of the "confront type game dedicated machines" and the "personal computer online game", a player cannot play them without another player as a rival. If a player could play the above games without a rival, the degree of the excitement would be low.
Meanwhile, in the case of the "portable game machines", those machines are programmed on the precondition that a player plays the game by himself/herself, and therefore can assuredly excite the users' desires for play, irrespective of external conditions such as the presence/absence of a rival. However, in the case of the "portable game machines", as well as in the case of the "pet game", the state of the game and the state of growth change sorely within the range of the program. Under this condition, there is a limit on the excitement or effect on the user's desires for play.
Even if the state of the growth of a pet and the process of the growth were to change variously depending upon a user's operation to bring up the pet and even if it was impossible for a user to expect the condition and process of the growth of the pet, this would be due to a program having a large number of branches corresponding to operations for bringing up the pet, and the pet would grow up merely in accordance with the program. Thus, as well as in the above-described cases, the excitement or effect on the users' desires for play has a limit, and the users hardly experience permanent excitement from the "portable game machines".
In the case of the "game utilizing the PHS", a pet which has been brought up in one PHS terminal can be transmitted to another PHS terminal. This seems that the utility value of the game has been improved. However, the pet itself merely grows up in accordance with a program as mentioned previously, and the excitement which the users experience from the transmission of the pet is fleeting. Such a game hardly satisfies the users' desires for play permanently.